This Week In Nebraska History, 05/12/19

1869: Builders of the Union Pacific from Nebraska met the builders of the Central Pacific from California at Promontory, north of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. A golden spike was driven to mark completion of the nation's first transcontinental rail line.

1879: An average of 40 covered wagons passed through Friend every day on their way west.

1889: Settlers of Lancaster County met at Bohanan Hall to form a society. Only those who came to the state at least as early as 1875 were eligible.

1899: A contract was let for building a bandstand on the Capitol grounds.

1909: Elimination of saloons made Lincoln one of the most publicized cities in the country.

1919: A parade in Lincoln honored the area's 70 members of the 42nd (Rainbow) Division, just returned from World War I service in France.

1929: The First National Bank and Central National Bank of Lincoln merged in a move that First National Board Chairman S.H. Burnham said was "following the trend of modern business."

1939: A new wing of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Lincoln was dedicated.

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1969: Gov. Norbert Tiemann called for the state to observe a day of mourning each time the death of a Nebraskan was reported in Vietnam. Known deaths of Nebraskans in the Southeast Asian war then numbered 277.

1979: The Legislature voted 30-18 to pass the Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act, which would mandate special smoking and nonsmoking sections in restaurants of more than 1,200 square feet.

1989: Education leaders debated the pros and cons of Kearney State College's proposed merger with the University of Nebraska system. All agreed the merger would increase NU's political power. However, several expressed concern for the future of the remaining state colleges.

1999: Final approval was given to two legislative bills to rebuild historic barracks at Fort Robinson - the barracks from which 130 Northern Cheyenne escaped in 1879 to avoid being returned to Oklahoma Indian Territory, and one of the six barracks that housed black soldiers, known as Buffalo Soldiers. Blacks served in segregated Army units until President Harry Truman dissolved color lines in the military after World War II.

Firefighter/paramed­ic Jeanne Pashalek's promotion made her the first female fire captain in the Lincoln Fire Department's history.